Wire-stretcher.



WILLIAM M. MURFIN, OF SLEEPY EYE, MINNESOTA.

WIRE-STRETCHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 11, 1908.

Application filed June 18, 1907. Serial No. 379,574.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM M. MURFIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sleepy Eye, in the county of Brown, State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire- Stretchers and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the in vention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has relation to that class of wire-stretchers in which a lever is employed to grip the wire, and by employing the post as a fulcrum and throwing the weight of the body against the lever, effecting the stretching of the wire and while stretching stapling it to the post.

The object of the invention is to provide a grip-lever adapted for use in carrying out the method above indicated which shall possess a construction and relation of parts that shall not only be entirely eflicient, but which will enable the Work to be done readily and quickly as well.

The nature of the invention is embodied in the device portrayed in the annexed drawings, formin a part of this specification, in view of whic it will first be described with respect to its construction and mode of operation, and then be pointed out in the subjoined claims.

Of the said drawingsFigure 1 is a plan of the invention showing its application to the use of stretching a wire. Fig. 2 is a modified form of the invention also shown as applied. Fig. 3 is a view of the wire-gripping end of the lever and the jaws supported thereon.

Fig. 4 is a similar view of the modified form of the device shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a sectional detail hereinafter referred to.

Similar characters of reference designate similar parts or features, as the case may be, wherever they occur.

In carrying out my invention, referring more particularly to Figs. 1, 3 and 5, I employ as a lever, a bar 10, of iron or steel, which is bent at one end into the form of a rounded hook 11, the terminal 12 of which is given a quarter twist so that its broad sides shall extend in planes substantially at rightangles to the broad sides of the main part.

The bight 11 of the hook portion is perforated, and the legs of the staples 13 are driven therethrough and clenched or otherwise secured therein (see particularly, Fig. 5)

to provide the outer circumference of the bend with a roughened or spike-like surface, for a purpose to be presently explained.

Near the end of the twisted portion 12 of the bend, on each side thereof, there are riveted blocks 14 of steel, forming one of the wire-gripping jaws. Opposite the said blocks 14, and on the extreme end of the said ortion 12 there is pivoted a bifurcated b ock 15, that is adapted, by reason of its pivoted construction and its relationship to the blocks 14 to form jaws adapted to cooperate with said jaws 14 to grip a wire therebetween, and hold it tightly while the lever is being moved in the dlrection of the arrow to stretch the wire and enable it to be stapled to the post A.

Instead of employing the blocks, 14,. as one of the jaws, a stout bolt 14 may be secured in the part 12 with which the pivoted bifurcated block 15 may cooperate as jaws, as shown in Fig. 4.

In use, the wire to be stretched and stapled to the post A will be drawn forward and arranged between the jaws 14 and 15, as shown in Fig. 1, and with the outer surface of the bend of the lever against the side of the post, the operator by throwing the weight of his body against the long arm of the lever in the direction indicated by the arrows, will move the jaw-carrying end forward, pulling the end of the wire engaged by the jaws also forward, until sufiiciently stretched, when'it may be stapled to the post in the usual way.

The projecting points of the staples in the bend of the lever, constitute substantial teeth that enable it to take suflicient hold of the surfaces of the post, so as not to slip thereon in the stretching of the wire.

It is obvious that the bend on the lever need not be of the exact form shown in Fig. 1. It is only essential that it should extend laterally from the lever proper and be provided at its freeend portion with wire gripping means.

In Figs. 2 and 4 the bend 11, which practically forms a head to the lever is provided with a right-angular part 11 and the end carrying the wire-gripping jaws extends at a right angle to the part 11; and instead of riveting a block 14 on each side of the terminal to form the stationary jaw, a bolt 14 may be extended through the part 12 and fixed therein, between which bolt and the bifurcated ends of the pivoted jaw 15 the wire may be gripped.

In the modified form of head described, the staples 13 may be dispensed with, and the outer surface of the head left unprovided with teeth, the angular bends or corners 16 serving as the fulcrum points on which the lever may be operated to stretch the wire, as is indicated in Fig. 2.

The modifications shown and described only indicate changes that may be made in various parts of the invention without departing from its general nature and spirit.

What is claimed is- 1. A wire stretching device, consisting of a fiat metallic bar provided at one end with a lateral projection, constituting a head having a quarter turn given to its free end portion, which is provided with an inner fixed jaw, and an outer pivoted jaw of rectangular form in spaced relationship to the fixed jaw,

whereby a wire may be gripped between the jaws and held the more tightly as the bargis moved to stretch the wire.

2. A Wire stretching device, consisting of a flat metallic bar provided at one end with a laterally rounded projection, constituting a head having a quarter turn given to its free end portion, which is provided with an inner -fixed jaw, and an outer pivoted jaw of rectangular form in spaced relationship to the fixed jaw, whereby a wire may be gripped between the jaws and held the more tightly as the bar is moved to stretch the wire.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM M. MURFIN'.

Witnesses:

H. B. ROBERTSON, T. F. TARBOT. 

